Vibrational device and methods for mitigating symptoms of freezing of gait

Abstract

A device adapted to be secured to the foot of a user includes one or more vibration actuators configured to provide vibrations to the user's foot, one or more force or acceleration sensors configured to sense forces or acceleration exerted by the user's foot, and a controller configured to operate the vibration actuators in a continuous mode to provide intermittent vibration to the user's foot independent of information sensed by the force or acceleration sensors. The vibration includes a first period of continuous vibration followed by a second period of no vibration followed by a third period of continuous vibration. The device may also be configured to operate in a feedback mode.

1 . A vibratory system comprising:
 a device adapted to be secured to a foot of a user;   one or more vibration actuators mounted on the device, the one or more vibration actuators configured to provide vibrations to the foot of the user;   a controller connected to the one or more vibration actuators, the controller configured to operate the one or more vibration actuators in a continuous mode in which the one or more vibration actuators are continuously activated for a first duration to provide a vibration to the foot of the user, the controller configured to provide the continuously-activated vibration intermittently by providing sequentially a first period of continuous vibration, a second period of no vibration, and a third period of continuous vibration.   
     
     
         2 . The vibratory system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more force or acceleration sensors mounted on the device and configured to sense forces or acceleration exerted by the foot of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The vibratory system of  claim 2 , wherein the activation of the one or more vibration actuators in the continuous mode is not dependent upon information sensed by the one or more force or acceleration sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The vibratory system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is connected to a data storage component configured to store data generated by the one or more force or acceleration sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a wireless communication device in communication with the controller and with a remote monitoring unit,   wherein the controller is programmed to transmit the data received from the plurality of force or acceleration sensors to the remote monitoring unit via the wireless communication device.   
     
     
         6 . The vibratory system of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is programmed to receive instructions for operating the system from the remote monitoring unit via the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         7 . The vibratory system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further programmed to operate in a feedback mode in which the plurality of vibration actuators are activated to provide vibration to the foot of the user based directly upon information sensed by the one or more force or acceleration sensors. 
     
     
         8 . The vibratory system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is programmed to process information sensed by the one or more force or acceleration sensors to determine an activity of the wearer, and to impose a continuous mode of vibration selected based upon the activity so determined. 
     
     
         9 . The vibratory system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more vibration actuators includes at least one vibration actuator disposed on the device in a position configured to transmit vibration to a dorsal surface of a 3 rd  toe of the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         10 . The vibratory system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more vibration actuators includes at least one vibration actuator disposed on the device in a position configured to transmit vibration to at least one of a dorsal surface of a 2 nd  toe or a dorsal surface of a 4 th  toe of the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         11 . The vibratory system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more vibration actuators includes at least one vibration actuator disposed on the device in a position configured to transmit vibration to a medial aspect of the ankle. 
     
     
         12 . A method of improving the gait of a user, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) securing a vibratory system to a foot of the user, the vibratory system comprising a device adapted to be secured to a foot of a user, a controller coupled to one or more vibration actuators mounted on the device and configured to provide vibrations to the foot of the user; and   (b) operating the system in a continuous mode comprising the sequential steps of:
 (i) providing vibration to the foot of the user for a first duration; 
 (ii) providing no vibration to the foot of the user for a second duration; 
 (iii) providing vibration to the foot of the user for a third duration. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the device further includes one or more force or acceleration sensors mounted on the device and configured to sense forces or acceleration exerted by the foot of the user, and steps (b)(i)-(b)(iii) are performed without a dependence upon information sensed by the one or more force or acceleration sensors. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 (c) operating the system in feedback mode for a fourth duration of time in which the one or more vibration actuators are repeatedly activated and deactivated to provide vibration or no vibration to the foot of the user based upon information sensed by the one or more force or acceleration sensors.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
 (d) monitoring the forces sensed by the one or more force or acceleration sensors during ambulation by the user; and   (e) one or more of:
 (i) storing the data received from the one or more force or acceleration sensors for analysis. 
 (ii) transmitting the data generated by the one or more force or acceleration sensors to a remote monitoring unit. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises a remote monitoring unit in communication with the controller, wherein the method further comprises the step of the controller receiving instructions from the remote monitoring unit for operating the system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , including providing vibration to a dorsal surface of a 3 rd  toe of the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  including providing vibration to at least one of a dorsal surface of a 2 nd  toe or a dorsal surface of a 4 th  toe of the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , including providing vibration to a medial aspect of the ankle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method comprises a treatment for Parkinson's disease. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the method comprises subjecting the wearer to a vibration treatment protocol comprising multiple cycles of steps (b)(i)-(iii) per day for multiple days. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the treatment protocol comprises two consecutive days of treatment, followed by a day of no treatment, followed by two consecutive days of treatment.